Reply to Sri Balaji's query on Parama-pada from VedhArtha Sangraha (Part-2)

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SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.

 

The second part of Sri Balaji’s mail is about the

abode of God.

His query is as follows:-

 

“vaikuntam is a (unreachable) place in the universe

with milky ocean which is called as parama padam

(highest abode) so called our moksham(

> our final destination) what is the situation of

those who have already

 attained salvation. ? how can they attain

formless salvation (bliss)”

 

Let us find the reply from VedArtha Sangraha.

First let us know what is Vaikuntham / Parama padam /

abode of Vishnu.

 

(Verse 207):-

“(Objection): But the terms ‘The supreme abode of

vishnu’ need not be taken as referring to any realm.

The very nature of Vishnu is represented as the

supreme abode. No distinction is made between Vishnu

and his realm in texts like, “The highest abode called

Vishnu, free from all evil (Vishnu purana, I,xii,

53)”.

(Reply): This is not the correct position. The texts,

‘He who lives beyond this rajas (Ya II,ii,12)’, ‘In

fact imperishable highest heavens’, ‘He who is the

lord of this, in the highest heavens (Rg.X,cxxix,7)

and ‘He who knows that one treasured cavern, in the

highest heavens (tai,II,1)’ definitely proclaim the

existence of the highest abode. The very description

of it as Vishnu’s abode points to the realm as

different from Vishnu. Even in the text adduced, the

qualification, ‘The highest abode called Vishnu’

proves that there is another highest abode, not one in

substance with Vishnu. It is this abode that is

described as being always seen by the enlightened

seers.”

 

(verse 208):-

‘The whole matter may be elucidated as follows: in

some texts, the highest abode is designated by the

term ‘parama-pada’, in some, the nature of the

individual self freed from matter, and in some, the

very nature of Bhagavan is designated ‘parama-pada’.

The text ‘parama-pada’ of Vishnu illustrates the usage

in relation to the highest abode. The text “His

attribute-less and great ‘parama-pada; undergoes

modification, owing to the action of the three

attributes of matter, at the periods of creation,

maintenance and destruction (Vi. I, xxiii, 41)’

clearly speaks of the nature of the individual self

freed from matter. The text “free from evil, that

parama-pada, called Vishnu (Vi, I, xxii, 53)’ is

speaking of the nature of Bahgavan. Now all these

three, (the highest realm, the pure status of the

individual and the Lord) are the supreme ideals to be

attained. Hence they are described as parama-pada.”

 

Now the question how they (individual souls) attain

parama-pada is taken up. (The question, how those who

already attained salvation are accomodated does not

arise because (1) parama-padam is not what sri Balaji

thinks (or most of us think, as evident from the above

verse) and (2) as Brahman is beginning-less and

eternal, His abode also is beginning-less and eternal

and hence the question is out of place.)

 

(vesre 209) :-

“ ‘How can all the three supreme ideals, the summum

bonum?’ If this be asked, we answer thus; The Lord is

primarily the supreme ideal to be attained and

therefore He is the parama-pada. The other two are

included as constituent factors in the attainment of

the Bhagavan. Hence they are designated ‘parama-pada’.

The realisation of the individual self of its real

nature, through emancipation from the bondage of karma

is included in the attainment of the Supreme. The

text, ‘These eternal perfections are veiled by evil

(Cha. VIII,iii,1)’ intimates that the auspicious

attributes of the Bhagavan are veiled from the view of

the individual self by its own karma. If it be asked

how it is known that the individual’s karma is the

evil that conceals the Supreme, we cite the following

textual authority: “There is the third power, avidya,

called karma, by which power, the all-penetrating

power of the individual self is covered up, the

individual gets enmeshed in all the persisting

afflictions of bondage (Vi,VII, 61-62)’. Even the

ascent to the highest abode is included as a factor in

the attainment of Bhagavan.”

 

Now the question how they attain formless salvation:-

(Verse 251):-

“…”One who ‘knows’ Brahman attains the Highest

(Tai,II,1)’, ‘He who ‘knows’ Him becomes immortal here

(Pu.20)’ and ‘He who ‘knows’ Brahman becomes Brahman

(Mu.III,ii,9)’. In the other text qualifying this

knowledge, “This atman is attained by one whom He

chooses,” the clause ‘whom He chooses’ conveys the

idea of the seeker becoming an object of choice to the

Bhagavan. He comes to be chosen, who is the object of

greatest love. He becomes the object of greatest love

to the Lord in whom has arisen supreme love for the

Lord. The Bhagavan says, “I am ineffably dear to the

man of knowledge and he is also dear to me (Gita,

VII,17)’.Therefore in reality, only knowledge that is

of the nature of supreme bhakti is the means for

attaining Bhagavan.”

 

Note from this writer:-

The above conclusion may be seen to be running

contrary to a particular school of thought – a

reconciliation between which and the one above is

being seen as a way to unite Sri vaishnavas (refer

Sri Pattangi’s mail on unity efforts). But such

discrepancy does not seem to exist (in the very first

place) if one takes into cognition the Mumukhuppadi

verse (273 –“pEttrukku vEnduvadu –irrakkamaiyum,

erappum”) whereby (according to Mamunigal urai) it is

maintained that the Lord does NOT eliminate the one

who seeks rakshNam by swa-yathnam, even though it is

maintained (in verse 231) “avanudaiya sweekAramE

rakshakam”. He treats all equal. The difference is

only in our mind and mind-set.

 

Similar instance of kripa (call whatever you may) of

the Lord is noticed in His grant of Deliverance to

those who worship anya devathas (on the basis of the

Truth that it is indeed He who is worshipped through

them) in verse 7-30 of Gita, writing on which Sri

Ramanuja says, “…those others who are now described as

knowing Him with Adhibhuta, Adhidaiva and Adhiyajna

are to be included among those who will know Him at

the time of death.”

 

And in the verse 8-5 of Gita “ And he who at the last

moment, while leaving the body, departs, remembering

Me alone, attains My Being; of this, there is no

doubt.”, it is being explained by Sri Ramanuja, “in

whatever way he mediates on Me, he attains that very

form, in the same manner as the royal sage Bharatha

attained the form of the deer remembered by him at

death. Such is the meaning.”

 

Hence Sri Balaji’s query ‘how does the soul attain

formless salvation?’ is replied thus: In whatever form

(or in formless state) the Brahman is meditated upon,

in such a form, the soul attains Him.

 

(To be continued)

 

 

 

 

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